September 18, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 150 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1170]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE OUTSOURCING DISCLOSURE ACT OF 2019

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN GARAMENDI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 18, 2019

  Mr. GARAMENDI. Madam Speaker, today I reintroduce the Aircraft 
Maintenance Outsourcing Disclosure Act. I want to thank Congressmen Lee 
M. Zeldin (R-NY) and Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr. (D-CA) for their support 
as original cosponsors.
  Our bipartisan legislation would require airlines to disclose the 
maintenance history for their aircraft fleets, specifically the 
location and date an aircraft underwent heavy maintenance. Airlines 
would be required to post this information online, distribute it with 
tickets, and communicate it to passengers upon request.
  Airlines would also be required to report to a new Federal Aviation 
Administration (FAA) database that tracks the maintenance history of 
their aircraft fleets. This public database will also indicate whether 
maintenance was conducted in the United States or abroad; by FAA-
certified mechanics or not; or by airline employees or third-party 
contractors.
  Recent airline incidents raise serious concerns about the increasing 
trend of maintenance being outsourced, particularly to countries in 
Central America and Southeast Asia. Foreign outsourcers do not have to 
be FAA-certified and are not subject to the drug and alcohol testing 
required in the United States for mechanics. Outsourcing has eliminated 
thousands of middle-class jobs in the United States and created 
significant safety concerns for passengers.
  Airline passengers have the right to know if planes are serviced by 
qualified mechanics in the United States, or whether maintenance is 
outsourced to foreign countries with lower safety standards. Our 
bipartisan bill prioritizes transparency for passengers and supports 
the creation of new middle-class jobs in the United States.
  Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to join us in cosponsoring the 
Aircraft Maintenance Outsourcing Disclosure Act.

                          ____________________